Gaming system with social award management

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system, apparatus, and method for social gaming includes at least one gaming machine configured to play a game of chance and produce game information and a social gaming server configured to: communicate with the at least one gaming machine; establish a remote gaming session between the gaming machine and at least one user device; distribute at least a portion of the game information to the at least one user device; and providing a social award to user of the at least one user device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gaming system providing social awards, comprising:
 a gaming machine configured to play a wager-based game and produce game information, the wager-based game being operated on the gaming machine for a player; and 
 a gaming award controller configured to:
 determine whether a social award has been earned through playing the wager-based game, the social award being a non-monetary award that is for use with a social game, the social game being a non-wagering game that is separate and distinct from the wager-based game played on the gaming machine; and 
 award the social award to the player if it is determined that a social award has been earned from playing the wager-based game on the gaming machine, the awarding including electronically transmitting the social award to a player account associated with the player, 
 
 wherein, on placing a wager on the wager-based game and then playing and being successful in the wager-based game, the player is directly awarded not only the social award but also a monetary award from playing the wager-based game being operated on the gaming machine, and 
 wherein the social award is separate and distinct from the monetary award, the social award is usable in playing a social game that is a non-wagering game that is separate and distinct from the wager-based game, and wherein the social game operates on a machine different than the gaming machine and not usable in playing the wager-based game. 
 
     
     
       2. A social gaming system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the player is concurrently awarded the social award and also the monetary award from playing the wager-based game on the gaming machine. 
     
     
       3. A social gaming system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the gaming award controller is further configured to:
 present the player with a plurality of different social awards that are available to be awarded; and 
 receive a player indication of a selected social award from the plurality of different social awards, 
 wherein the award of the social award awards the selected social award. 
 
     
     
       4. A social gaming system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the social award is a digital enhancement for used in the social game. 
     
     
       5. A method for managing social awards, comprising:
 operating, by a gaming machine, a wager-based game for a player; 
 determining whether a social award has been earned through playing the wager-based game, the social award being a non-monetary award that is for use with a social game, the social game being a non-wagering game that is separate and distinct from the wager-based game played on the gaming machine; and 
 awarding the social award to the player if the determining determines that a social award has been earned from playing the wager-based game on the gaming machine, the awarding including electronically transmitting the social award to a player account associated with the player, 
 wherein the player is awarded not only the social award but also a monetary award from playing the wager-based game being operated on the gaming machine, and 
 wherein the social award is separate and distinct from the monetary award, the social award is usable in playing a social game operating on a machine different than the gaming machine and not usable in playing the wager-based game. 
 
     
     
       6. A method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the player is concurrently awarded the social award and also the monetary award from playing the wager-based game on the gaming machine. 
     
     
       7. A method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the method comprises:
 presenting the player with a plurality of different social awards that are available to be awarded; and 
 receiving a player indication of a selected social award from the plurality of different social awards, 
 wherein the awarding of the social award awards the selected social award. 
 
     
     
       8. A method for managing gaming awards, comprising:
 determining whether a social award has been earned through playing a social game by a player, the social award being a non-monetary award that is for use with a social game, the social game being a non-wagering game; 
 determining whether a wagering-game award has been earned by the player through playing the social game, the wagering-game award being a non-monetary award that is for use with a wager-based game played on a gaming apparatus, the social game being distinct from the wager-based game; 
 awarding the social award to the player if the determining determines that the social award has been earned by the player through playing the social game; 
 awarding the wagering-game award to the player if the determining determines that the wagering-game award has been earned by the player through playing the social game; and 
 subsequently facilitating operation of the wager-based game for the player via the gaming apparatus, wherein the wager-based game operates differently dependent on the wagering-game award which was earned by the player through playing the social game such that the player has an increased likelihood of earning a monetary award in playing the wager-based game, 
 wherein the wager-based game is separate and distinct from the social game. 
 
     
     
       9. A method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the method comprises:
 electronically storing data identifying the wagering-game award; and 
 subsequently retrieving the stored data identifying the wagering-based award. 
 
     
     
       10. A method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the awarding of the wagering-game award includes electronically transmitting data pertaining to the wagering-game award to a player account associated with the player. 
     
     
       11. A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the facilitating of the wager-based game comprises:
 associating the player to the wager-based game at the gaming apparatus; and 
 retrieving the data pertaining to the wagering-game award from the player account associated with the player. 
 
     
     
       12. A method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the social award is a digital enhancement for used in the social game.